The choice of lucerne varieties in the Netherlands.

Abstract

Trials were carried out at 2 stations in the Netherlands in the period 1949-51 to compare the amounts of dry matter and crude protein yielded per ha. by 5 different types of lucerne. The Northern French varieties (Du Puits, Flamande Chartain-villiers and Flamande Flandria) gave considerably higher yields of dry matter and protein than Provence or Italian lucerne. A further trial was carried out in the Netherlands in co-operation with O.E.E.C., in which the performances of varieties from Western, Eastern, Central and Southern Europe, North and South America, New Zealand, India and South Africa were compared. The results are tabulated under the following headings: yield in comparative figures, speed of regrowth after winter, earliness of flowering, degree of infestation by grasses and cold-resistance. The Northern French varieties Du Puits, Flamande Flandria, Flamande Chartainvilliers, Flamande Socheville and Flamande C49, gave higher yields of dry matter and crude protein, regrew more rapidly after winter and were less susceptible to infestation by grasses than the other varieties tested. Their cold-resistance was satisfactory. There were no considerable differences in performance between the Northern French varieties tested.-W.J.B. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)